


Amidst a Crowd

by Potttterhead



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Desperation, Omorashi, Urination
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:42:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24681730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Potttterhead/pseuds/Potttterhead
Summary: This story is by request of stranger lol, who suggested a scenario where Thranduil was desperate in a crowd, where it's hard to hide his desperation - i hope you like it :)First disclaimer: I don't own the characters.Second disclaimer: Oooomorashi.No summary, just read it.Please leave a comment below, and feel free to leave suggestions :)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

I could tell even from the distance, that King Thranduil was giving Feren a serious reprimand. It was not a quiet and cold one which was unusual, and normally a voluminous and explosive reprimand would be considered less frightful. The one Feren was receiving though, were neither of the two. Instead, Feren was receiving a regular scolding. Thranduil spoke with just a slightly heightened voice, but there was no doubt in his tone that was thoroughly annoyed. 

I picked up just some of the conversation. It was barely audible from were I stood, but the gentle breeze carried just some of their words to my ears. Thranduil tone increased just slightly in annoyance, “Feren, can’t it wait?”. Feren had a fairly frightened expression on his face even though he was one of the king’s most trusted guards. 

Feren shook his head and insisted, ”No, my lord, it can not”. I could see that Thranduil huffed in exasperation before they both walked off to deal with whatever Feren had presented to the king. 

I remained with the other guards at the venue. There was to be a concert in just half an hour. Last preparations were being made in the great open space where trees surrounded us and hid the soon to be campsides of the travelling guests. 

The concert was a manifestation of power held by the high elves of Lothlorien and planned by Lord Celeborn himself. Every elven kingdom was represented from Rivendell, Greenwood and beyond, and most made sure to reflect the grandeur of the arrangements. 

Thranduil returned with Feren in tow not long after looking just as exasperated as before. Thranduil spoke to Feren over his shoulder and the look on Feren told me, that he was still getting reprimanted.

Our camp was being set up just these moments. We had arrived not long before, and unfortunately not been able to set up the tents before now due to a sudden cloudburst. 

From what I could catch from the still ongoing conversation between the king and Feren, Thranduil was very nerved by the delay. He had planned to change out of his travelling wear before the concert, but now there was most likely no time.

I knew for a fact that Thranduil valued grandeur above much else, and I was in no doubt that the prospect of wearing his travelling clothes for the festivities wouldn’t suit him well. Apparently Feren was being held responsible for this unfortunate dressing situation. 

I prized myself lucky that I wasn’t at the end of Thranduil’s nerve, as it was no pleasurable place to be since the king’s temper was not one to be taken lightly. 

There was no time for further eavesdropping though as the guests around us gathered and began to take their seats. A Lothlorien elf led us to our seats, and I noted the displeased grimace Thranduil carried as we took our seats.

The king held a prominent seat in the middle of the venue, and Feren and myself were seated around him as his head of guard and most trusted guard. More and more guests closed in on the seats between us and soon all seats in the great place were filled. 

The first performance was that of a famous elven harpist, who played melodies of the old days of elven prime. It was a beautiful opening to the concert and most of us carried a longing, nostalgic look as the melody died out. 

The next few performances were equally enchanting, but whispers beside me woke me from my entranced state of the music. Thranduil and Feren discussed something beside me, and I found myself slightly bothered even though I could not decipher a single word they said. 

Their whispers died when the next performance began. This time a flute joined the harp and harmonious melodies lulled me into a trance once again. It seemed as if everything around me disappeared. It was only myself and the music in my ears, I lost feeling of the people around me and the sky above me. Again something brought me out of my trance. The king had moved and the movement in the perimeter of my sight had caught my attention.

I observed him half-heartedly and without turning my head. He seemed less entranced by the beauty of the melodies and very much aware of his surroundings. His posture was stiff and rank, and his expression still held traces of the exasperation that Feren had withstood before the concert. 

I allowed myself to be drawn into the light tunes again reassuring myself that my duties as a guard only extended to me being there at the moment. I had barely ended that string of thoughts though before Thranduil shifted in the seat beside me.


	2. Chapter 2

I speculated just how infuriated he still must have been to not be able to enjoy the performance. I decided to ignore the king’s signs of agitation as it wasn’t me his displeasure was radiated at. 

The next performance was a song of ancient elven tongue that I sadly couldn’t concentrate on because Thranduil’s repeated movements caught my attention. I observed him discretely and caught the sigh that escaped his lips before he once again repositioned himself in the seat.

I was unsure of the reasons for his discomfort, but I knew that I would do good to be observant. It would be hard for me to follow an order or to fetch anything for the king because of the close proximity of the other seated guests. I looked first to one side and then to the other and noted to my own discomfort that I couldn’t leave without a great deal of bother.

Feren caught my eyes as I looked his way. He shared an alarmed expression with me and I shot him a confused look in return. Something was going on that I hadn’t yet noted. I felt my stomach drop and looked around again in fear for some kind of breach of security. 

I found none though and turned to catch Feren’s eyes across the king again. I searched his eyes questioning when Thranduil moved between us. Both mine and Feren’s eyes landed on him in wonder.

Thranduil let out another irritated breath and I caught Feren’s eyes again. His eyes kept shifting from the king to me, clearly trying to convey a message to me. I didn’t understand it though, and I reverted my eyes to the stage after Feren gave up on me.

Another part of the program ended and there was a brief intermezzo before the next musicians stepped onto the stage. There was a low chatter among the audience and Thranduil turned to Feren to reengage a discussion.

I listened in on them hoping to decipher a hint of the message Feren had tried to communicate. I heard the king say above the usual whisper. “By the Valar, Feren, you robbed me of any change of retreating as we arrived, be in no doubt that I hold you responsible for this” he hissed. 

I noticed Feren’s Adams apple drop in alarm as he uttered a barely audible apology. I was right then, that Feren was the cause of Thranduil’s annoyance. Still, I had no clue was the dispute was about until a sigh resembling a low moan escaped the king.

It was a sound of utter displeasure, and it wasn’t a sound that I had heard the king make before. I caught Feren’s eyes again and I recognised the tension when Thranduil shifted once again, and Feren’s alarm seemed to increase even further.

A symphony accompanied my newfound bewilderment. I couldn’t quite comprehend my realisation, but did not doubt that Thranduil was some kind of pickle. It wasn’t until Thranduil seemingly casually placed a hand above his thighs and hidden in his cloak that I truly realised what the pickle was. 

Feren shot me a look of pure panic, when the king made a dissatisfied grunt and I realised that Thranduil indeed needed to relieve himself. Quite badly by the look of it.

Feren must have noted the bewilderment in my eyes, because he nodded to me as to confirm my suspicions. The predicament did make sense to me, since Thranduil had joined a welcoming audience with the other noble-elves after arriving, and since the royal tent had not yet been hoisted when he returned to our campsite. 

The king would not have had any change to retreat after our arrival, and since Feren had insisted on something just before the concert itself began – I realised that Thranduil would have had no change of relieving himself before he was seated for this hour-long concert. 

Another sigh escaped him and his hand moved beneath the cloak. There was very little possibility of leaving just now, and it would certainly stir attention if the king rose in the middle of the performance.

I assumed that Thranduil had come to the same conclusion. He was proud, and I couldn’t imagine that he would expose himself in such way. I sought Feren’s eyes again hoping to read the extend of the urgency, but to no prevail. 

It was just into the very next performance that Thranduil himself revealed the urgency to some extent. He groaned. The sound itself was drowned by the music, but it was very audible to us seated just next to him.


	3. Chapter 3

Thranduil let out a shaky breath. “May the Valar have mercy on me” he said in a barely concealed strained voice. I didn’t need time to decipher the meaning of this, because Thranduil would never utter such a defenceless statement if his mind was not thoroughly preoccupied. 

I instantly felt Feren’s eyes boring into me, and I almost hoped for another cloudburst to hide whatever result the king’s predicament would present, though the thought of just that made my skin prickle. 

I met Feren’s blue eyes and was not surprised to see pure panic in them. He felt somewhat responsible for the situation and wanted to find a solution before it was too late. There was no obvious solution though, the most obvious was simply to wait and hope that Thranduil could as well.

I sighed frustrated and was surprised to feel Thranduil’s questioning eyes on me. He had probably not realised how evidently he had shared the predicament with me, and I realised as I caught his eyes just how much it disgruntled him to know that I knew of it. 

I felt heat begin to rise into my cheeks by his intimidating glare, when he suddenly winced in his seat and reverted his eyes away from mine. He seemed overpowered by a wave of urgency, and I felt the uneasy knot in my stomach tighten as his legs crossed tightly across each other, and his grasping hand was revealed from under his cloak. 

Thranduil was making an obvious effort to face the ongoing performance and not us, his two guards. I followed as he casually brought his other hand to join the first one firmly clasped between his crossed legs. The movement was followed with an unusually pained groan, and Feren looked positively bewildered, clearly contemplating how and when he should act. 

The melody that had played as a backdrop of my bafflement ended and Thranduil spoke to Feren without turning his head as the audience clapped. His voice was firm and his words clear. “Feren, it has to be now”. 

Feren seemed stunned for a few seconds before he stood up abruptly – luckily before the next performance had begun. He began to move through the rows of seats and one guest after the other rose to let him pass. 

The king recognised the fulfilment of his order and removed both of his hands from his front before he too rose from his seat. The movement was less abrupt, but not as fluent as normally.

He followed Feren hastily and was free of the venue before long, as the path had been cleared by Feren. I lost sight of them when they disappeared between the trees, and only hoped that they would return before too long. 

They did return not long after and I felt my shoulders drop in relief, when I observed the king’s light and calm posture. They got to their seats almost as hastily as they had left them, and it caused only a minor disturbance to those around us. 

Neither said anything as Thranduil seated himself elegantly and returned his attention to the concert. He let of a contented sigh, and my eyes sought Feren’s again. His eyes were as wide as saucers and his grimace one of pure disbelief. I glared inquiringly at him trying to press some kind of explanation out of him. Feren failed to communicate anything understandable to me, and he ended up just shrugging to me. 

I was going to get a recollecting afterwards, and thus reverted my attention back to the concert that would surely soon come to an end. I caught myself wondering just how the problem had been solved – and just where Thranduil had ended up relieving himself.


End file.
